Governor



G. S. TIFFANY.

GOVERNOR.

APPLICATION r1150 mm, 1915. RENEWED OCT. 2. 19181 1,303, 11 7. iatented May 13, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- G. S. TIFFANY.

GOVERNOR.

APPLICATION FILED IAN-2,1915- RENEWED OCT. 2. 191a.

Patented May 13, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 t 8 a w 3 9 3 2U M unH wuluilnw F W 6 3 ll 3 8 3 My 3 nventor:

Attest: Aw (j UNITED STATES PATE OFFICE.

- GEORGE S. TIFFANY, OF SUMMIT, JERSEY, ABSIGNOR TO TIFFANY IOTOB COMPANY, A CORPORATION 01 DELAWARE.

GOVERNOR.

Specification of Letter! Patent.

Patented May 13, 1919.

Original application filed August 7, 1914, Serial 110155574. Divided and this application fled January-8,

- i 1815, Serial No. 203. Renewed October 2, 1818. Serial No. 856,681.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE S. TIFFANY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Summit, in the county of Union and States of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Governors, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates t a governor for controlling the speedof electrically driven machines or apparatus. The object of the invention is to provide a governor which shall be sensitive and reliable in operation to a high degree and shall retain its efiiciency through long periods of use. The invention has been made "especially with the idea of providin a speed governor for electrically driven p onographs, the governor being designed to meet the requirements of a phonograph of silent operation and accurate control for constant speed; but it is also suitable for general use and especially where close and accurate control of speed is required.

' The invention consists in the features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts which will appear from the descri tion following and which areparticular y pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, the inven tion is illustrated as appliedto an electrically driven phonpjgraph which forms the Su'b ect matter of 1,136,739, dated April 20,1915, and of the application for which this application is a division. In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan viewof an electrically driven phonograph of the disk rec- 0rd type provided with a governor embody-' ing my nections eing indicated dia ammatically;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation o the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, most of the circuit connections being omitted; 1

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, on a larger scale than Figs/1 and 2, of the governor by which the speed of the record support of the apparatus shown in Figs; 1 and 2 is controlled; and

Fig. at is a diagrammatic view illustrating another arrangement of the circuit connections and a modified construction of the governor.

Referrin first to Figs. 1 to 4, the operating parts 0 the apparatus as shown are carried by a T-shaped supporting frame having nited States Patent No.-

resent invention, the circuit cona main stem 10 and across bar 11. The stem 10 has upwardly anddownwardly extending b'osses'12 formed with a through opening to receive the shaft 13 of the plate or disk 14 which forms the table or support for carrymg the record disk, and which for a reason w ch w1ll appear hereinafteris best made of a suitable non-magnetic material such for example as ty e metal. Carried b the table 14 are a num er of armature b0 ies 15 arranged equidistant from each other and at equal distances from the axis of rotation of the table. As the table rotates the armature bodies 15 pass between upwardly extending EOIGPIGCGS 16 and 17 of an electro magnet 20 which the armature bodies are succes- SlVGly attracted to ive a succession of ronet will be energized as each of the armature bodies approaches its polarextensions and will be eenergized aseach armature body reaches or a proaches a central position wit respect to e polepieces. For so controlling the magnet circuit in the construction shown, a circuit making and breakin device 'is provided, the 0 rating element 0 which is a toothed-whee 25 secured on the lower end ofthe shaft 13 within a housin formed bya cup 26 which extends downwar ;from the lower end of the downwardly extending boss 12. A pivoted lever or dog 27 is mounted within the housing and is sprin pressed by spring 2810 move itsfree en intoengagement with a contact plate 29 which is mounted inside the housing and insulatedtherefrom. The lever 27 is formed with a projection extending toward the toothed wheel 25 in position so that when the rojection enters between adj acent' teeth of tlie wheel the outer end of the lever is permitted to engage the contact plate 29 and that as the wheel rotates the lever will be moved outward-away from the plate 29v as successive teeth of the wheel engage the projection of the lever and force it outward. The lever 27, housin 26 and T-shaped suppprting frame, inclu mg the boss 12, may all .of metal and in the construction shown ais- from the under face of the table concentric with the axis of rotation and most desirably'within the circular row of armature bodies. This flange drives a governor shaft 31 through a friction wheel 32 carried by the shaft. The governor shaft is mounted in a bearing sleeve 33 which is carried by an angle piece or bracket 34 secured to the stem 10 of the supporting T frame, the bearing sleeve extending above and below the horizontal arm of the bracket and passing in the construction shown through the stem 10. The bracket is mounted, as by means of screws passing through slightly elon-, gated openings therein, so as to be capable of movement to carry the friction wheel 32 toward and from the annular flange 30 to provide for adjustment to secure suitable pressure of the friction wheel against the driving flange. Most desirably automatic adjustment is secured by means such as a spring 35 tending to move the bracket to hold the friction wheel yieldingly against the face of the driving flange. The shaft 31 carries at its lower end a cross bar 36 secured to turn with the shaft and which carries a flat spring 37 extending parallel to and a short distance below the lower face of the bar and secured to the bar at its ends, the ends of the spring in the construction shown being bent upward and secured to up wardly bent endS of the bar. Except for the connection with the ends of the bar, the

spring is out of contact with and spaced slightly away from the bar so as to be capable of being flexed to cause its central portion to move toward and from the bar. Thespring carries a pair of centrifugal weights 38 by means of stems 39 rigidly secured to the spring and which in the arrangement shown in Figs. 2 and 3 extend upward from the spring one 011 either side of the axis of rotation, the stems passing through clearance openings in the bar.-

When the shaft 31 is rotated, as the speed of rotation increases, the centrifugal weights tend more and more to move outward and to flex the spring 37 and bend its middle portion upward toward the bar 36. The spring is in electrical connection with the supporting frame stem 10 and carries at its central or axial point a contact terminal 40 which normally rests against a cooperating stationary contact piece 41 to close the motor circuit at this point.

By the upward movement of the middle portion of the spring under the influence of the centrifugal weights, the contact 40 is carried away from the stationary contact 41 and the motor circuit is opened at this point when the governor exceeds a certain speed of rotation, and the speed of the governor at which the motor circuit is thus broken depends on the position of the contact 41. To provide'for varying the speed of rotation to which the table will be held by the action of the governor, the stationary contact 41 is made adjustable, being in the construction shown carried by but insulated from a bar 42 which is attached by means of a spring plate 43 to the downwardly extending arm of the bracket 34. The spring tends to throw the contact carrying end of the bar down away from the governor spring, that is, to separate the contacts, and the bar is held in position by a screw rod 44 which is mounted to turn in a threaded bearing carried by the stem 10 of the supporting frame and the reduced lower end of which extends through an opening in the outer end of the bar and is formed with a shoulder to bear on the bar. The upper end of the screw rod has a knurled head by which it may be turned. By turning the screw rod to move it downward the bar is adjusted to raise its contact 41 into firmer engagement with the gov ernor spring contact 40 so that a higher speed of rotation of the governor, with corresponding increase in speed of the table 14, is required to cause an increase in the centrifugal force exerted sutficient to bend the spring 37 enough to carry the contact 40 away from the contact 41; and, contrarily, by turning the screw rodin the opposite direction the inner end of the bar will be moved downward to lower the contact 41, and a lesser speed of rotation will serve to separate the contacts and the speed of rotation of the table will thus be reduced.

Contacts 40 and 41 are most desirably of dissimilar metals such as silver and nickel. In order to diminish any sound resulting from the vibration of the governor spring 37, I find it desirable to apply a coating of fabric, such as ordinary adhesive tape, tov one or both faces of the free portion of the spring, as by folding a piece of adhesive tape about the spring on each side of the contact 40 as indicated by the dotted line 3 in Fig. 3.

The governor is extremely sensitive and reliable in operation. The contact terminals are self cleaning, and there is practically no friction loss between the centrifugal force of the weights and the resistance of the spring 37. A very sensitive balance is, therefore, maintained between these two forces. S0 responsive is the device to very slight changes in speed that the contacts 40 and 41 are maintained in tremulously intermittent engagement while the motor is in normal operation, with the result that an effectively constant speed is maintained; and it may be that even without complete separation of the contacts continuing through whole rotations, the governor, by controlling the meeting pressure of the contacts and thereby varying and adjusting the relative or proportionate time of engagement of the actual contacting points of the meeting faces of the iao contacts, maintains the desired constant speed of the table by adjusting the mean strength of the current flowing to the magnet when the circuit isclosed by the interrupting lever 27 The phonograph is started and stopped by means of a combined brake and switch which also acts to give a starting impulse to the table when moved to release the table and close the motor circuit. This device comprises a stop lever 50 which is pivotally mounted on but insulated from the stem 10 of the supporting frame at a point inside of the periphery of the table and carries a. pivoted brake shoe 51 which may be brought into engagement with the edge of the table by movement of the lever in thedirection of rotation of the table. A bow spring 52 is pivotally conneced at one end toa pin 53 carried by the arm 50 and at the other end to a post 54 extending upward from and insulated from the supportin frame stem 10. The spring 52 tends to hold the stop lever in position for operation of the phonograph when it has been moved to that position and to hold it in stop position with the brake shoe against the edge of the table when it has been moved to that position. As the brake shoe moves into engagement with the edge of the table in the direction of movement of the table edge, any continued turning of the table after the brake shoe comes mto engagement therewith has the tendency to tighten the brake. A contact piece 55 mounted on but insulated from the supporting frame stem 10 serves asa stop for the lever 50 when in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 after it has been moved to release the table, and in this position, in the construction shown, the pin 53 engages this contact 55 to complete the motor circuit. The contact piece 55 is electrically connected as by wire a with the governor contact piece -11 as shown in Fig. 1, and connection from the pin 53 is made by wire 6, which as shown may be connected to the spring 52.

The supporting frame may be mounted in any suitable manner, but it is especially designed so that the'stem 10 and cross bar 11 may be screwed or otherwise secured directly to the under side of the usual board or plate of the phonograph cabinet directly abo e which the record carrying table stands. Such plate is shown and marked 60 in Fig. 2 and is formed with a circular opening of a size sufiicient to receive the circular row of armature bodies and having extensions at opposite sidesto accommodate the motor magnet and the parts of the starting and stopping device respectively as indicated by dotted line w in Fig. 1.

In the operation of the machine, assum ing that the stop lever 50 is in position for operation of the phonograph as shown in the drawings, and that-the table 14 is in rotation, the motor circuit will be alternately closed and opened between the dog 27 v and contact piece 29, the circuit being thus closed as each armature body approaches the magnet poles to energize the magnet to cause the approaching armature body to be attracted, and being opened when each armature body has entered the space between the magnet poles to deenergize the magnet as the armature body comes to central position between the poles. The table will thus be given successive impulses as the armature bodies successively approach the magnet, and such successive impulses, following closely one after the other because of the large number of armature bodies, gradually accelerate the speed of rotation of the table. When the motor circuit is closed by engagement of the dog 27 with the contact piece 29 the circuit is established as follows :-From one pole of battery by wire 1;, spring 52, pin 53, contact 55, wire a, contact 41, contact 40, spring 37, bar 36, shaft 31, sleeve 33, bracket 34, supporting frame stem 10, housing 26, dog 27, contact piece 29 and wire a to the magnet winding and thence by wire d back to the other pole of the battery.

As the table rotates, it drives the governor through engagement of the annular flan e 30 with the friction wheel 32, and as t e speed of the governor increases with increase in speed of the table the centrifugal weights 38 of the governor tend more and more to bend thegovernor spring 37 upward until finally when a certain speed is reached, dependent on the adjustment of the governor, the governor comes into action and by controlling the magnet circuit prevents further increase inspeed and maintains the desired constant speed of the table. By rea son of the extreme sensitiveness of the governor as hereinbefore pointed out, a very close control of the driving power is secured with the result that variations in the speed of rotation of the table are practically eliminated and an effectively constant speed of rotation maintained. I find that when operating with direct current there is some advantage in connecting a non-inductive resistance across the governor contacts, as indicated 'bydotted lines at 'v in Fig. 3, to prevent complete cutting of! of current from the magnet by operation of the governor.

The rotation of the table may be stopped when desired by moving the stop lever 50 to throw the brake shoe into engagement with the 'edgeof the table and at the same time to open the motor circuit by moving the pin 53 away from the contact iece 55; and to start the rotation of the ta le it is only necessary to move the stop lever back to the position shown in the drawin thereby releasing the table, closing the c1rcuit between the pin 55 and the contact piece 55,

and imparting a starting impulse to the table; By turning the screw rod 44 to adjust the bar 42 the speed of rotation which will be maintained by the governor may be varied and adjusted as desired; a

Fig. 4 illustrates an arrangement of circuits with which the motor magnet is deenergized when the circuit interrupting dog or lever 27 is in engagement with the contact 29 or when the governor contact 40 is in engagement with the contact 41. As represented in this figure, the source of supply of current 65" is connected-directly with the magnet coils by wires 9 and it, except that the supply circuit thus formed includes a non-inductive resistance 70 to adjust the voltage on the magnet and the startin and stopping switch or other main contro mg switch which is indicated at S. The circuit interrupting lever 27 and the contact piece 29 are connected in shunt with the magnet by wires c and lo, with the result that when the lever 27 is moved away fromthe contact 29 and the shunt circuit thus opened, the magnet will be energized, but when the shunt circuit is closed by the lever 27 coming into engagement with the contact 29 most of the supply .current will flow through the wires '5 and is of the shunt circuit rather than through the magnet since the resistance of the shunt circuit is very much less-than the resistance of the magnet coils, and the magnet will therefore have little or no force and ma be considered to be deenergized when t e shunt circuit is closed. The shunt circuit, while deflecting the current from the magnet when it is closed, will also atthe same time furnish a path of low resistance for the magnet discharge current. 1

The'governor as shown in Fig. 4: is also connected in shunt across the wires'g and it by wires Z and m connecting respectively with the wires?) and 7c, and is thus in parallel with the circuit interrupter formed by the lever27 and contact piece 29 and it acts to prevent the flow of energizing current to the magnet in the same way as the circuit interrupter, that is, by closinga shunt circuit across the magnet coils which being of less resistance than the magnet coils affords a path for the flow of most of the current. In

order that the. governor shall operate to close circuit between its contacts when the speed of operation is excessive, the stems 39 which carry the centrifugal weights 38 extend from the outer face of the governor sprin 37 so that by the outward pull of the weigllts the middle portion of the spring is bent outward, or downward, to engage the contact 41 which normally stands out of engagement with the contact 40 carried by the spring. Otherwise, the governor is or may be the same in construction as shown in the other figures and as hereinbefore described.

It is to be understood that the invention is v the governor in position to be engaged by the 7 spring rod.

not tobe limited to the exact construction of v the apparatus and arrangement of circuits as shown in the drawings and to which the foregoing description has been largely con-' fined, but that it includes changes and modi-' fications thereof within the claims.

What is claimed is:

1; The combination with a rotary member and electromagnetic motor means for driving said rotary member, of a rotary speed governor for controlling the supply of current to said 'm'otor means comprising a spring rod extending transversely to the axis of rotation of the overnor and secured at a point to one side of the axis of rotation and having a part adjacent the axis of rotation free to move in the direction of the axis of rotation, at contact terminal in position to beengaged by such axially movable part of the spring rod, and a centrifugal weight carried byv the spring rod in position to bend the spring rod by its centrifugal force to move the said axially movable part of the spring rod relatively to said contact terminal.

2. The combination with a rotary member and electromagnetic motor means for driving said rotary member, of a rotary speed governor for controlling the supply of current to said motor means comprising a spring rod extending transversely to the axis of rotation of the governor and secured only at its ends on opposite sides of the axis of rotation, centrifugal weights extending from one side of the, spring rod and rigidly secured thereto at points equidistant from the mounted in the line of the axis of rotation of 3. The combination with a rotary member and electro-magnetic motor means for d'riving said rotary member, of a rotary speed governor for controlling the supply of current to said motor means comprisingv a spring rod extending transversely to the axis of rotation of the governor and secured only at its ends on opposite sides of the axis of rotation, centrifugal weights extending from one side of the springrod and rigidly secured thereto at points equidistant from the axis of rotation, a'contact terminal mounted in the line of the axis of rotation of the governor in position-to be engaged by the spring rod, and means foradjusting said contact terminals in the direction toward and from the spring. I I,

4. The combination with a rotary member and electro-magnetic motor means for driving said rotary member, of a speed governor for controlling thecircuit of said motor means, said governor comprising a spindle driven from said rotary member, a bar carried by said spindle and extending trans versely thereto, a flat spring secured at its 180 ends to said bar at opposite sides of the axis of rotation, centrifugal weights carried by stems extending from one face of the spring and rigidly secured thereto at points equidistant from the axis of rotation, a contact terminal mounted in position to make contact with the spring, and means for adjusting said contact terminal relatively to said spring.

5. A governor for. controlling the speed of an electro-magnetic motor by controlling the supply of current thereto, comprising a rotary member, a spring rod extending transversely to the axis of rotation of said member and secured at a point on one side of the axis of rotation and having a part adjacent the axis of rotation free to move in the direction of the axis of rotation, a contact terminal in position to be engaged by such axially movable part of the spring rod, and a centrifugal weight carried by the spring rod in position to bend the spring rod by its centrifugal force to move said axially movable part of the spring rod relatively to said contact terminal.

6. A governor for controlling the speed of an electro-magnetic motor by controlling the supply of current thereto, comprising a rotary member, a s ring rod extendin transversely to the axis of said member an secured only at its ends on op osite sides of the axis of rotation, centri gal weights tending to bend thespring rod when the governor is in rotation to move the middle portion thereof in the direction of the axis of rotation, and a contact terminal mounted in the line of the axis of rotation in position to be engaged by the spring rod.

7. A governor for controlling the speed of an electro-magnetic motor by controlling the supply of current thereto, comprising a splndle, a bar carried by the spindle and extending transversely thereto, a straight flat spring. extending adjacent said bar but spaced therefrom and havin bent ends se' cured to said bars at opposite sides of the axis of rotation, centrifugal weights carried I by stems extending from one face on said spring and rigidly secured thereto at points flexible member and permitted to make its outward and inward movement by the flexing of said member, and a contact terminal mounted axially of the rotary member and movable longitudinally of the axis of the rotary member and controlled in its movement by said centrifugal weight.

9. A governor for controlling the speed of an electro-magnetic motor by controlling the supply of current thereto, comprisin a rotary member, a centrifugal weight carried by the rotary member, a contact terminal positioned axially of the rotary member and movable longitudinally of the axis of the rotary member and the movement of which is controlled by said centrifugal weight, and a second contact terminal with which said first mentioned contact terminal cooperates to control an electric circuit, said contact terminals being formed of dissimilar metals.

10. A' governor for controlling the speed of an electrically driven sound record bod'y support of a phonograph, comprising a rotary member, a fiat sprin carried by said member, a centrifugal welght controlling said spring, and circuit making and breaking means controlled by said spring, said spring having applied thereto a sound diminishing coating of fabric.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE S. TIFFANY.

Witnesses:

A. L. KENT Jams J. 

